Profile of Professor Akaehomen O. Akii Ibhadode

Professor Akaehomen O. Akii Ibhadode, the third substantive Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun was appointed by the Council of the University at its 29th meeting held from April 14 – 15, 2015. He assumed duty on May 4, 2015 with absolute determination and zeal to transform the University.
Born September 13, 1957, Akii Ibhadode is a Distinguished Alumnus of the University of Benin, who bagged the M.Eng. degree in Production Engineering from the University in 1984 as a pioneer postgraduate student of the Department of Production Engineering. Earlier, he graduated from the University of Lagos with a B.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering) degree in the First Class category in 1981. He did his National Youths Service Corps Scheme at a detergent manufacturing company in Jos, Plateau State in 1981 – 1982. He thereafter proceeded to the University of Benin where he was also employed as a Graduate Assistant.

He was awarded a Commonwealth Academic Staff Scholarship to pursue a Ph.D. (Mechanical Engineering) programme at the University of Birmingham, United Kingdom, and graduated in 1987. He has attended a number of training courses and carried out original studies in Manufacturing Technology, Production Management, Artificial Intelligence, Development of Internal Combustion Engines and Lightweight Vehicles, and Entrepreneurship.
He is a COREN registered engineer and a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Fellow of the Materials Science and Technology Society of Nigeria, and Fellow of the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria.

He has been a Professor of Manufacturing Engineering since 1999 at the University of Benin and has mentored a great number of Engineers in Nigeria and other parts of the World. He has supervised over 100 postgraduate engineering students including thirteen Ph.Ds. He has conducted ground breaking engineering researches leading to patents and academic/professional awards amongst which include the 2010 Nigeria Science Prize sponsored by the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Edwin Walker Prize for 1988 of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, United Kingdom, patented Kilishi processing production line being used by a number of entrepreneurs. He has over 200 academic and professional publications dwelling on practical engineering issues. These include Introduction to Manufacturing Technology text for 200 and 300 Level Engineering students published since 1997, and having a TETFund edition published in 2013, Precision Die Design by the Die Expansion Method published by Trans Tech Publications Limited, Switzerland and other international engineering books (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=ibhadode&ref=nb_sb_noss). He is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Engineering Research in Africa (JERA) published in Switzerland since 2009 (www.scientific.net/JERA).

Engr. Professor Ibhadode founded an Internal Combustion Engine Research group in 2001 which has developed local small capacity engines, lightweight utility vehicles, novel engine parts and materials, drive motor for electric vehicles, etc. (http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.82268). He has a Research and Development Team that mentors engineering students on the design and construction of Shell Eco-Marathon Competition Lightweight vehicles. He holds the SPDC-NNPC-JV Professorial Chair in Lightweight Automobile Engine Development at the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun where he is the Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Ibhadode is a man of many parts: he is an ardent member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers who promotes international networking for the development of engineering in Nigeria through unilateral, bilateral and multilateal linkages; he founded the Ibhadode Gifted Persons Foundation in 2017 which mentors inventors and entrepreneurs; and also, an ordained Pastor of the Church of God Mission International. He hails from Irrua in Edo State, and he is married with children.